There are many different sports which involve shooting a ball, puck, or other object into a goal to score points. Such sports, including, but not limited to, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, and water polo, are often big business at the professional and collegiate levels. Accordingly, training players of these sports to improve their skills in scoring goals can be very important to the success of the teams and to the sports businesses' bottom lines.
One way to improve a player's goal shooting ability is to practice shooting with some form of goal training device attached to a goal. Such goal training devices provide targets to aim for and/or a goal cover that rebounds the ball, puck, or other object back to the player so he or she can practice repeated shots. However, most existing goal training devices do not provide a critical feature that is proven to improve a player's goal shooting ability, i.e., a sufficient visual distinction between the training device and the net of the goal.
This visual distinction, manifested in negative viewing space—a color or visual appearance darker than the net so as to obscure the net—and one or more positive viewing spaces—spaces through which the net is easily visible in contrast to the negative viewing space—is very effective in training a player to shoot the ball, puck, or other object at areas of the goal where scoring is more likely. Thus, there is a need for a goal training device that provides a visual distinction using negative and positive viewing spaces.
Another disadvantage of existing goal training devices is that they need a large amount of durable material to extend across the net and effectively rebound the ball, puck, or other object. Thus, the devices can be expensive to manufacture and have a high price point as a result. Therefore, there is a need for a goal training device that is made of less material so it is cheaper to manufacture, yet maintains good durability.
Many of the aforementioned sports are played outside and are therefore subject to the elements, particularly wind. Another disadvantage of existing goal training devices, even those that utilize positive and negative viewing spaces, is that the solid material used for a goal cover is blown by wind and therefore does not maintain its original position in windy conditions. Thus, there is a need for a goal training device that maintains its position in windy conditions.
In addition, there are a number of temporary goals designed for ease of storage, transport, and set-up, some specifically designed for children and for recreation. Many of these goals for recreational use are quite small relative to professional goals and some have a substantially flat configuration. Existing goal training devices are either too large for the small goals and/or too bulky or otherwise inoperable in conjunction with flat goals. Accordingly, there is a need for a goal shot training device that can be used with small goals and flat goals, and can be used in place of an ordinary net in a flat goal.
Accordingly, there is a need for a goal training device that provides a visual distinction using negative and positive viewing spaces. There is also a need for a goal training device that is made of less material so it is cheaper to manufacture, yet maintains good durability. Moreover, there is a need for a goal training device that maintains its position in windy conditions. Finally, there is a need for a goal training device that can be used with small goals and flat goals and can create a visual distinction as part of an integrated device. In sum, there is a need for a goal training device that uses negative and positive viewing space to provide a sufficient visual distinction between the device and the areas where the player is to be trained to direct shots while also using less material, maintaining its position in windy conditions, and working in conjunction with small goals and substantially flat goals.